CHURCH STREET; Loving An Atheist

“Good afternoon people! It’s your favorite Host for today’s show. Stay glued to your set so we can groove along some vibes for the day. And now, my question for today is, how far will you go or have you gone to convert an atheist to Christ! Phone lines are opened so do well to pass through. Voila! We got a caller on the line! Hello, please tell us your name and your location” the Host of the “Reveal It” show said in his usual deep voice.

“Hi. My name is Patrick and I’m calling from University of Churchill Hagan. It started this way…..” the caller said.

How the two, Patrick and Angela became friends is likened to the usual childhood scenario where a boy bumps into a girl and boom, a big bang of “Hi and Hello” is burst to lead one thing to another.

They both exchanged pleasantries after finding out they shared the same purpose at the Bank. The delayed processing got the two acquainted. Surprisingly, both attended the same University, offering the same program but never set eyes on each other till the bank-clash.

“Haha-ha! I’m the indoor kind of girl so I doubt if you’ve ever seen me. I’m not sure my own roomie has ever seen before” Angela responded in a humorous tone.

The two laughed.

“I’m mostly coiled in my shell too. Quite active when the need be but I do well to maintain my sanity in shape so I don’t distort my personal traits” Patrick asserted.

“I agree. It’s quite dangerous to get out of your shell and have your heart broken by the very things you thought would keep you safe once you’re out of your zone. But it’s pretty cool to know who and what to engage so you don’t break…” Angela replied.

“Your mention of the word “break” twice make me have an idea of your past breakup”

“Yeh, Fine boys are mostly the medicine to a broken heart” Patrick flirted. “Boys boys boys boys and pick-up lines” Angela shook her head and giggled.

The conversation got interesting and relative to issues and matters beyond personal life to intellectual discourse of politics and medicine. Angela’s astute means of addressing issues got Patrick’s interest in her to grow through the short moment. He caught glances of her silky hair and bright complexion. Images of future encounters painted themselves in his mind. They both exchanged numbers and promise to check up on each other.

Fast forward, a successful date was arranged as knowing themselves climbed a stair further. It was moving smooth and charming during the date till it hit a rock at some point.

“I don’t believe in the existence of God” Angela said in response to Patrick’s “Which denominational church do you worship?” He thought it was a joke. He smiled and asked the question once more.

“As I earlier said, I don’t believe in God.” She replied again. Patrick froze. A million questions run through his mind how such princess of the day wouldn’t believe in the beautiful God so he pressed the question for the third time. Angela repeated her answer for the third time before Patrick could get halfway with his question.

“How did I miss this from the beginning?” Patrick thought to himself. While he was dumfounded, Angela was relaxed and easy with her answer. Straight and forward as she sounded, she didn’t feel she had hurt Patrick in anyway.

“And don’t think of throwing those Jesus stuff at me. I have heard enough of that and that isn’t going to change my mind” Angela retorted.

“I don’t mean to disrespect your opinion or your side of belief but Jesus is the best to have in your life. God loves you, you know? His arms are opened to welcome you anytime you turn around to believe in His Son Jesus Christ as your personal savior…..” Patrick raised a higher concern regarding Angela’s belief.

“So you want me to believe the Bible that was written by uneducated shepherds? Ha! Funny you. Strong atheist I am”

“I find that hard to understand when you believe in the volumes of books you are reading to become Doctor, when traces of the knowledge from those books could link to an ancient uneducated man”

“If so, at least they were developed by educated men with time…”

“If I my break it down to you, the Word of God is proven and trusted, timeless beyond ages and centuries gone and yet to come. Everything else has a timeline by the Word will still remain after” Patrick added.

Two hours of back-to-back with each throwing in points and proves to support their belief, they decided to end since their date was nearing the fall of midnight. Patrick felt he didn’t do his best to express his faith for Angela to accept Christ. He kept his cool not to engage in a hot argument but a healthy discourse.

He later decided to break the cord of friendship but then, if he should hate an atheist, how was he going to express the love of God to her so she can encounter the God of love. To Patrick, meeting Angela was more of meeting a beautiful soul than someone who abhors things of God or his existence. I mean, less judgmental towards Angela and not applying the ‘holier than though’ card.

He understood that inasmuch as you try to live the Christ-life, you will encounter resistance along the path- within and outside the walls of the church. And expressing Christ to the unbeliever is not a fight, but done with respect.

If Christ lived among sinners to preach the Word and died for all, Patrick didn’t forgo that lesson and continued to depict the Godly life beyond words for Angela to experience the

Above all, he remembered to pray that someday, the Holy Spirit would convict her to believe Christ, like Paul.